Turning Hearts
by royaltyjunk
Summary: So it's in that summer, when they've grown into adults who know how to love and laugh, that he feels his heart beginning to turn. Written for the 2017 Serebii Forums Secret Santa.


Summary:

So it's in that summer, when they've grown into adults who know how to love and laugh, that he feels his heart beginning to turn. Written for the 2017 Serebii Forums Secret Santa.

 _Author's Ideas: A Secret Santa gift for Nerdy McNerdface on Serebii Forums. Merry Christmas!_

 _This is an Ironwillshipping (Riley/Dawn for those who don't know) fic so I hope you like it!_

 _(I might have wanted to make this angst but I wouldn't have dared give you angst on Christmas, so there's a hint of it there, but not much)_

 _Oh yeah also it's based off of game canon, not anime canon because I don't watch the anime. Sorry if that's what you wanted_

 _Disclaimer: Something something don't own Pokémon something something please stop me_

* * *

Turning Hearts

* * *

Lucario looks up suddenly in the middle of their training, and Riley tilts his head.

"What is it, Lucario?"

The Aura Pokémon doesn't respond, letting the Aura Sphere between its paws die down as he stands straight.

"Is someone here?" Riley questions.

"Riley!" A familiar voice calls from the distance, and he starts, looking over his shoulder.

A young woman with long blue hair and a red coat waves from the cave entrance. A strange owl-like Pokémon flies by her side as she makes her way to Riley's side. Riley meets her halfway there.

"Miss Champion," he murmurs, bowing. Dawn laughs.

"Come on, Riley. Don't be like that. We don't see each other for weeks, and that's how you treat me?"

Riley doesn't say anything, simply kneeling to be eye-level with yet another new Pokémon Dawn has caught.

"What's this one?"

"Decidueye," Dawn replies, reaching to ruffle the feathers on the back of its neck. "But I like to call him Wallace. After the former Hoenn Champion and coordinator."

"He must get along well with Steven," Riley smiles, a joking and sarcastic tone in his voice as he brings up Dawn's Infernape.

Dawn's Flame Pokémon in particular has a reputation of being a jealous worrywart - a Pokémon that refuses to accept that Dawn loves all of them equally because he wants to be the favorite. It's so bad that it's enough to get Riley to snort just at the thought of Steven getting along with anyone, let alone a Pokémon.

"He does," Dawn responds, and it takes Riley a moment to process what she's said. He looks up at her, a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

"Really?" he asks, but his voice has a tinge of happiness. She smiles knowingly.

"Surprising, isn't it? I think he just hasn't realized that Wallace is very close to becoming my favorite."

As if it could understand its trainer's words, Wallace's beak perks up in a motion like a smile. Riley chuckles.

"I don't imagine they will be friends after Steven realizes."

"Most likely not," she replies. "Still, it's nice while it lasts."

Riley smiles, and Dawn grins back.

So it's in that summer, when they've grown into adults who know how to love and laugh, that he feels his heart beginning to turn.

~ / . / . / ~

Dawn pulls her yellow clips through her bangs, sighing as she pats down her hair. Her long blue hair spills over her shoulders, contrasting with the pale long dress she wears.

"Dawn!" Barry is practically screaming from outside.

She throws open her window, scowling. "Could you be any louder!?"

"YES!" he screams even louder, and Dawn covers her ears.

"I'm never talking to you ever again," she responds back, and slams the windows shut.

The sound of footsteps makes her turn, and she looks over her shoulder.

"Was that Barry?" Joanna questions. Dawn laughs nervously.

"Sorry, Mom. You know how he is."

Joanna chuckles. "Yes. By the way, Lukas is here. He's all dressed up too."

Dawn groans. "Stupid banquet…"

She hikes up her skirts, ready to run down the stairs, but Lukas emerges at the top of the stairs at the last second.

"Dawn," he greets, and she sighs with relief, letting her dress skirts pool around her legs. Joanna slips past them, making her way back downstairs.

"I thought I was going to have to go down the stairs in these," she lifts her feet out from under her dress, and Lukas winces a bit at the sight of the minty-green heels on her feet.

"Why'd you put them on?" he asks. "You could've left them downstairs, right?"

"Well, I was in the middle of trying on way too many dresses," Dawn replies, gesturing to her bed. Lukas glances over, and his eyes widen at the sight of her bed covered in all kinds of dresses. There are puffy ones, short ones, flowy ones, and at the feet of her bed are innumerous pairs of high heels - and Dawn has to pick an outfit in an hour.

Lukas sighs as he adjusts his hat. "I… don't even know what to say."

Dawn scoffs. "You don't need to say anything. I can tell you're mentally scolding me. I can see it in your beady, judging eyes."

Lukas chokes before letting out a laugh, and Dawn joins in a few seconds later.

The sound of the door opening and her mother greeting someone catches her ears, and she perks up. Slow footsteps make their way up the stairs.

"Dawn? Do you have a moment?" Riley's voice drifts through the second floor. "I - " He appears at the top of the stairway, and then blinks, cutting himself off as he spots the other boy in the room. "Lukas. I didn't know you were here."

Lukas looks over at Dawn, and opens his mouth. His eyes are mischievous, and she already knows what he's going to say.

Lightning quick, she reaches over and snatches Lukas's hat off his head. Before he can react, she's already running a hand through his scalp, messing up his carefully gelled hair. He squawks in protest, and she pushes him towards the staircase.

"That'll teach you!" she calls as he hurries down the stairs, then sighs and turns to Riley. "Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I can come back another time," the dark-haired man offers. "You look pretty busy."

"Riley, I am the opposite of busy right now. So you either tell me now, or run the risk of me being actually busy tomorrow."

Riley frowns. "Aren't you going to a gala soon?"

"Not now. At night. Well, I have to leave in an hour. And, it's a banquet. Not a gala" Dawn replies, then holds a finger to her lips. "Hold on. Riley, are you free tonight?"

"Yes…?" He tilts his head. "Do you need something?"

"Awesome, and yes. I need a bodyguard, otherwise I'm going to have to deal with people trying to interview me and obnoxious paparazzi who will try to harass me. So, can you come?" Riley stays silent, and she crosses her arms, pouting. "Come on, Riley. Help little old me out here. I don't have anyone else."

Riley blinks, then nods hesitantly. "I suppose I could."

"Yes!" Dawn calls triumphantly, skipping down the stairs. "Hey, Lukas! Lukas? Where'd he go?"

In his heart, he feels no regret in agreeing to her request. He never could refuse her.

~ / . / . / ~

Riley presses his hand against the top of his hat as people push against him, ruffling his clothes noisily.

"Excuse me," he murmurs, and squeezes between two groups of chattering businessmen. He almost runs into a couple, and apologizes before slipping past them and heading for the lady behind them.

Her eyes brighten as she spots him, and she lifts her skirts slightly as she rushes towards him.

"You didn't have to run," Riley murmurs, glancing down at her feet. They're trapped in a pair of tall white high heels, and he almost winces at the red blossoming against her fair skin.

"I'm just glad you're here," she says, and he finally gets a good look at her and the outfit she settled on. Her hair is curled in loose waves, cascading down her back. Her dress flows beautifully, a pale golden color with shimmering gold and silver streaks. She sighs. "I must look ridiculous."

"I wouldn't say that," he breathes. Dawn smiles.

"Well, at least you dressed up."

"All I did was put on a button-up shirt beneath my coat," he responds, and Dawn shrugs.

"Hey, it works."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Riley gives her a skeptical look, but she flashes him a reassuring smile and places a hand on his.

"Don't worry about it."

"If you say so."

There's an awkward moment of silence between them, and then Riley grunts as someone bumps into him from behind.

"Sorry," the person says hurriedly, but their attention turns to Dawn almost instantly. "Champion Dawn, there you are! I was wondering if you'd be willing to go out for lunch on Monday? Just for an interview. It's been a long time since we last interviewed you!"

"Uh - " Dawn stutters. "I, uh…"

"No need to be shy! Besides, we'd love to have you back on the air!"

Riley stays silent, but narrows his eyes. There's something suspicious about the way the person is talking, the way they're acting. Truthfully, he has encountered plenty of excited news reporters over the years, and they're always this peppy and insistent, but there's just something off about this one, and he can't put his finger on it.

It's obvious Dawn feels the same, because she's not agreeing or refusing in that "Champion's voice", as he likes to call it. She's just stuttering, glancing at him unsurely.

He pulls his hat down, and then coughs to get their attention.

"Riley?" Dawn asks worriedly.

"Sorry… it's nothing. Anyways… didn't we have something on that day?"

Dawn nods frantically, her eyes grateful. She's smart enough to know what Riley's doing. "Yeah! What were - "

"A trip to Stark Mountain," he replies, like they'd practiced this ahead of time. He turns to the reporter. "Apologies, but she can't make it."

The reporter stays silent. "Aren't you Riley? The trainer from Iron Island?"

"What of it?"

"Apologies, but… what kind of relation do you have with the Champion? You two must be close, no?"

There's a flash of jealousy in the reporter's eyes, and all of sudden, Riley understands what his motive was, and it seems like Dawn understands too, because she tenses up.

"A significant other," he replies.

"A significant other?"

"Her significant other."

Dawn starts, realizing the two of them are staring at her and the kind of predicament she is. Wordlessly, she takes Riley's hand. He pulls her close to him, a comforting smile on his face. The reporter stalks away, and Dawn tightens her arms around his.

"Thanks," she smiles exhaustingly, looking up at him. "I guess you really are a lifesaver."

His heart leaps into his throat, and he clenches his fist, suppressing the soaring emotions threatening to throw themselves out of himself. It's an unfamiliar solution to an unfamiliar feeling, but he's done it more times than he can count. What's one more time on top of all those others?

~ / . / . / ~

There's a knock on her door, and she opens it to see Riley.

She blinks in surprise. She and Riley hadn't really spoken since that banquet, when he'd claimed to be her boyfriend to save her from all those pestering paparazzi. There had always been an awkward silence hanging between them whenever they saw each other, and often the only words exchanged were tentative "hello"s and "see you later"s.

She knew why, though. Over the past few weeks, newspapers had been accumulating on her desk at the Pokémon League, each with a more ridiculous title than the other. "Are Champion Dawn and Iron Island Guardian Riley a couple?" "Iron Island Riley: A Casanova!?" "Champion Dawn is Being Brainwashed!?"

"Riley," she murmurs.

"Dawn."

Without a warning or another word, he procures a gift box from behind his back.

"Here."

Dawn starts. "What?"

"It's Christmas, Dawn. Merry Christmas. Here's a gift for you."

"You didn't have to get me something," Dawn starts to protest, but Riley shakes his head.

"I wanted to."

Dawn looks at him apprehensively, and he smiles softly.

"Go ahead. Take it."

She can't refuse it then, and so takes the box. A look of worry starts to form on her face as she opens the unwrapped box, but her eyes immediately sparkle as she recognizes what it is.

"This is…"

"You once said you wanted to travel to other regions and see what kinds of care they gave their Pokémon."

"But, Riley, this is your Pokéblock maker," Dawn breathes. "I can't take it. You went to Hoenn years ago, and you said you'll never go back."

"It's true. I find it a little hard to part with it. But it if makes you happy, I'll gladly give it up."

"Riley…" she blushes. "I… usually people get me chocolate, or something along those lines. How did you know not to?" she inquires, a curious look in her eyes. Riley smiles.

"Lukas told me he got you chocolates once. He didn't tell me exactly what you did, but it sounded like you left them in his trash can on purpose."

Dawn bursts into laughter then, and Riley can't help but join in at the tinkling sound of her bell-like giggles.

"What's going on here?" Dawn's mother asks, and peeks over her daughter's shoulder. "Oh, Riley! Hello!"

"Merry Christmas, Joanna," he responds politely. Joanna opens the door more.

"Why don't you come inside? I have plenty of food, and maybe Dawn will actually change out of her pajamas."

Dawn's face flushes a bright red, and it's then that Riley notices her intense bedhead, the long T-shirt she's wearing, and… nothing else. He covers his embarrassment with a cough, and then nods.

"I suppose, if I'm not imposing on you too much…"

"Of course not. I invited you in, didn't I?" Joanna smiles, and waves her hand at Dawn. "Go get dressed, dear. Come now. We have guests over."

"Riley's not a guest. He's more a… constant presence here. Like a ghost," Dawn counters, but goes upstairs anyways.

"I assure you, I am not a ghost," Riley calls, and hears Dawn snort faintly.

And when she climbs down the stairs and they spend Christmas morning tearing open Dawn's many gifts and laughing about spilled hot chocolate that they have to clean up before Dawn scrambles for paper towels so it doesn't stain the rug, he doesn't know where his heart has turned anymore.

~ / . / . / ~

"'Sunyshore'? It's literally the opposite of that right now!" Dawn complains, and Volkner shrugs.

"Hey, I don't control the weather. Sorry."

Dawn groans, then shakes her head. "It's okay, Volkner. I guess I'll just have to wait out this storm."

"Sorry about that," Volkner apologizes. "I have to head back to the Gym now."

Dawn frowns. "This late?"

"Well, you're taking my house so I'm staying at the Gym. Plus, challengers are crazy. You never know when they'll show up."

"You get challengers this late at night?"

Volkner scratches the back of his neck sheepishly. "I mean… I've pulled all-nighters fighting challengers before."

Dawn shakes her head, sighing. "What are we going to do with you…?"

"Let me keep my job?" Volkner asks, a hopeful tone in his voice, and Dawn can't help but laugh.

"So that's why it's so loud," Riley murmurs, and the two of them turn to see the dark-haired man emerging from the inside of Volkner's apartment.

"Sorry," Volkner apologizes. "Did we wake you?"

"No, not you," Riley responds. "The rain did. The rain woke me."

"I don't think it can even be called rain at this point," Dawn replies. "I'm pretty sure this is a storm."

Volkner sighs. "I can't even remember the last time it was this stormy. Sorry you had to come out on a day like this and have your rest day ruined."

Dawn waves her hand, dismissing his apology. "Like I said, don't worry about it. We'll just stay inside all night."

Riley nods in agreement. "Yes. Don't worry yourself too much, Volkner."

He scratches his head. "If you two insist…" His Pokétch starts buzzing, and he runs his hand through his hair. "I have to go."

"Stay safe," Dawn murmurs, and he laughs.

"Don't worry. I have an umbrella and my Pokémon. Those are the only two things I need in this kind of situation."

"Sure," Dawn replies sarcastically, and retreats to the kitchen. Riley's about to ask why, and then Volkner opens the door to leave and they're both pelted with a hurricane-like wind and angry raindrops flying to connect with their clothes. The loud sound of howling rain explodes into the kitchen, and Dawn lets out a light squeak that Riley overhears.

"Sorry Riley," Volkner laughs nervously, and Riley waves, smiling.

"Bye Volkner!" Dawn calls, and Volkner grunts in response as he wrestles the door shut behind him. The sound of pounding rain grows softer, although it's unfortunately still there.

There's a moment of silence, and then Dawn walks out from the kitchen. She's buttoning up her long red coat, and Riley blinks.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

"Outside. Have you never danced in the rain?" she smiles.

"No," he deadpans. "Because clearly, it's not a good idea."

"Then you'll just have to come with me!" she replies, grabbing his hand and dashing for the exit.

"Wait, Dawn - "

She ignores his cries of protest, dragging him out from under the cover of Volkner's home and into the pouring rain.

"You're going to get sick," he murmurs, but relents to her impulses. Her hair is already soaked through, and her red coat clings tightly to her body. Her hands are cold to the touch.

Still, she laughs, and even though there's an absence of music, they waltz, and then ballroom and swing and dash through the rain to the tune of an invisible orchestra and the beating of their hearts, and his begins to illuminate.

~ / . / . / ~

Dawn wakes up the next morning with a sore throat and a nasty cough.

"I told you that was a bad idea," Riley mutters when she trudges out of her room huddled in her blankets. He coughs. "Now we both have bad fevers."

Dawn's eyes widen, but she breaks into a coughing fit, and Riley sighs.

"So what do you want to do now?"

"Let me call Cynthia… she's going to have to substitute for me today…"

"It's spring, Dawn. Cynthia's - " Riley coughs, then continues, "in Unova."

Dawn swears, then runs a hand through her hair. "I guess the League's going to have to close down today… It's just one day, or maybe a few, anyways…"

Riley sighs, about to say something, but Dawn's Pokétch starts beeping obnoxiously. She throws her blankets at Riley and hurries into the living room, rummaging through her bag for the small device. Riley scrambles to bundle up the blankets as Dawn answers the call.

"Flint?"

"Hey, Champ," he greets, his voice sounding from the Pokétch. "Are you coming? Heard you were stuck in Sunyshore because of the storm, but the storm's gone. Went away overnight. You should be able to make it."

"Sorry, Flint. I - " she breaks off in a horrid coughing fit, and Riley drapes the blankets over her, taking the watch from her.

"Flint, this is Riley. She and I are sick, although she's much worse. I suppose we caught it overnight because of the storm. Either way, she can't make it."

"Darn… what are we going to do then…"

"Dawn said to close the League for one day, or a few, if necessary."

There's a bit of shuffling in the background, a muffled question, and then there's a whoop of excitement. "Shut it, Aaron," Flint retorts crisply before responding, "Yeah, sure. We can do that. You two get better soon, yeah?"

"We'll try," Riley replies, and then sneezes. "Though I think it might take us a while."

Flint chuckles, and then hangs up. Riley tucks the Pokétch back into her bag just as Dawn flops onto the couch, her coughing fit dying down.

"...Tell me we have tea or lemons or something," Dawn murmurs. Riley walks over to the kitchen and rummages through the cabinets weakly.

"Yes to the tea bags…" he glances around, "and yes to the lemons."

"Wow;" Dawn replies, her voice soft. "Volkner actually does keep this place in nice condition."

"I imagine it's only like this because we told him we were coming over." Riley sneezes.

"Point. Bless you," she coughs, then sighs. "My throat is so scratchy."

"I know," Riley replies, and then there's a loud clang resonating from the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"Making tea."

"Oh thank goodness. You're a godsend, Riley."

The soft whistling of a kettle slowly drifts through the house, until Riley appears in the living room, two mugs in his hands. He hands one of them off to her before sitting down beside her. She throws her blankets over him, and he shifts into the couch.

"It's a little hot. Be careful."

Dawn lifts the mug of tea to her lips, blowing gently before sighing happily as she sips it noisily. "I love this tea. Teach me your magic, Riley."

A sneeze answers her, and she just laughs, and his heart soars at the tinkly sound.

~ / . / . / ~

"Here you go."

Riley blinks. Dawn smiles, pushing the wrapped box into his hand.

"A gift for you."

"I can see that, but… Dawn, it's nowhere near my birthday, or Christmas for that matter."

"Consider it an apology. For getting you sick the other day."

"But - "

"I didn't get you a Christmas gift either," she cuts him off. "So there. Now I have two reasons to give you a gift, and you have no reasons to refuse."

Riley scratches the back of his neck. She has a point - as much as he wants to politely refuse, he can't find a logical reason to do so. He slowly unwraps the small box, and pulls out two similar charms.

"A trainer from some foreign region gave them to me," Dawn explains. "I think he said he was from the Unova region? He's just here to visit, but his Pokémon are so strange. I've never seen anything like them… and he could talk to Pokémon too. It was intriguing, but strange."

"What are they?" Riley can't help but ask.

"He said they're called the Shiny Charm and the Oval Charm. The pink one is the Oval Charm, and it makes it easier to find eggs. The other is the Shiny Charm. It's supposed to help you find shinies."

"Wait… I can't take these then," Riley objects meekly, shaking his head. "They're meant for you. You'd have much more of a use for them than me."

"But I'm giving it to you," she replies. "So they're not meant for me anymore."

"Still - "

"If I take you on a journey, you'll have a use for them someday," she interrupts, and he blinks.

"I… suppose, yes."

"Then I'll take you on a journey someday," she promises, and Riley breaks into a grin.

"I'll willingly go with you when that day comes."

~ / . / . / ~

"Spear Pillar," Dawn introduces, sweeping her hand around her. "Also where I almost died."

"You didn't exactly almost die, you were just pulled into the Distortion World."

Dawn crosses her arms. "I was, what, eleven? Twelve? I didn't know! I thought the devil was coming for me!"

"You stepped into that portal of your own volition."

"Riley," Dawn says pointedly. "That's beside the point."

He laughs. "If you say so."

She rolls her eyes in response, and he laughs again.

"Hey, Riley." Her voice is somber and serious all of a sudden.

"Mm?" he murmurs, turning to look at her.

"What did you think when you'd heard… I'd gone to the Distortion World? I mean… you knew. When I met you afterwards… you even asked if I was okay."

Riley bites his lips, and then takes in a deep breath. His heart is beating too fast for him to even process.

"When I'd heard what you'd done… I really didn't know what to say. I knew you'd be the type of person to do that… but I hadn't expected you to dive head first in. I knew you were alive… of course you were. You had to be. But it hurt me a little. It anguished me to not know if you were safe or not."

He takes a deep breath, and inches his face closer.

"I'm going to kiss you," Riley whispers. "So if you don't want me to, you should stop me."

Dawn lifts a finger to his lips, a tremble in her fingers as she traces his lip with her calloused thumb. There's a sharp intake of breath from Riley's mouth, and he closes his eyes.

"Dawn."

She laughs, pulling her hand away. "Sorry, Prince Charming. Go on with what you were going to do."

"What?"

"If you don't hurry up, I'm going to do it. Wouldn't want to keep the girl you like waiting, would you?"

"Wait, hold on - "

She doesn't hold on, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and pulling him down towards her. Their lips connect with a loud sound, and he grunts as their teeth clack together awkwardly.

Just as quickly as Dawn pulled them together, she moves away and smiles. Riley blinks, and then breaks into a grin.

"Yeah?" Dawn prompts.

"Yeah," he responds. "That was one of the best things I've ever experienced."

"How about you shut up and let me do that again?" Dawn asks, and he just leans down, kissing her hungrily. She smiles against his lips, clenching her hands around his coat.

"I like you. A lot," he murmurs when they pull apart, and her smile grows larger.

"I know. I like you too."

Riley hugs her tight, his heart pounding.

"Were you nervous?" Dawn murmurs questioningly, her ear pressed against his chest.

"A little," he murmurs back. "This is…" he swallows. "The first time I've been able to tell someone I like them. The first time I've… ever liked someone. But now that I know how you feel, it's all gone. So thank you."

"Mm," she hums, and doesn't say anything else. She doesn't need to. Riley already knows.

And so it's in that summer, when they're adults whose hearts have already turned, that he learns to laugh and love.


End file.
